The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control says it is working closely with authorities in Cross River State following the confirmation of a new COVID-19 case
Director-General of the NCDC, Jide Idris, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja that the agency has activated response mechanisms to contain the situation.
Health authorities in Cross River confirmed the case involves a 53-year-old foreign national who developed symptoms weeks after arriving in Nigeria and later tested positive at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital.
The state Commissioner for Health, Henry Ayuk, said the patient has been admitted and is responding to treatment, with samples analysed to guide further clinical management.
He said the NCDC, in collaboration with the state government and partners, has intensified contact tracing, surveillance, and infection prevention and control measures.
“All identified contacts are being followed up appropriately, and there is no evidence at this time of widespread transmission,” Ayuk said.
He added that the detection of the case shows Nigeria’s surveillance and response systems remain functional and responsive.
Idris advised the public to maintain good hand and respiratory hygiene, stay home when unwell, and follow updates from official health authorities.
He also reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to monitoring the situation and providing updates, noting that emergency response teams have been deployed to support containment efforts.
Residents were urged to remain calm, stay vigilant, and adhere to preventive measures, including regular handwashing, respiratory hygiene, and prompt reporting of symptoms.
Nigeria recorded its first COVID-19 case in February 2020, triggering a nationwide response coordinated by the NCDC and the Federal Ministry of Health.
At the peak of the pandemic, multiple waves driven by variants such as Delta variant and Omicron variant strained the health system, leading to the establishment of isolation centres and emergency operations nationwide.
Although reported cases have declined significantly in recent years, experts warn the virus has not been eradicated and may continue to circulate globally at low levels.
They noted that reduced testing and reporting in many countries have made it harder to track transmission trends, increasing the risk of undetected outbreaks.
Experts emphasized the need for sustained surveillance, stronger preparedness, and rapid response capacity to manage sporadic cases and prevent wider transmission.
Meanwhile, as of April 13, 2024, the Worldometer coronavirus tracker is no longer being updated due to challenges in obtaining reliable global totals as many countries have stopped routine reporting.
Historical data from the platform shows Nigeria recorded 267,188 confirmed cases, 3,155 deaths, and 259,953 recoveries.
